Henry Miller hanging round the toilet

In my bathroom I have a copy of Henry Miller's The Colossus of Maroussi sitting around.
I have been reading the first sentence several hundred times lately.

I would never have gone to Greece had it not been for a girl named Betty Ryan who lived in the same house with me in Paris.

I like thinking about the way the world works.
How life unfolds.
I also would have never have gone to Greece had it not been for a compulsive liar yet interesting boy I knew when I was in college.

There are so many I would never have________ had it not been for__________ in our lives.

Who's yr Betty Ryan?


photo via ffffound

candy for your soul

Have you been over to the sweeterie yet?
My sweet friends started this new massive inspirational gem recently and I just want to go into the site and live there. Mercy!
Get thee there now.

do it like a bad habit for ten years

Last night I had the pleasure of attending and live blogging the inaugural TEDxColumbus event.(great job @ruthmilligan Curatorial Co-Chair)

It was awesome in a lot of ways.
One particularly awesome thing for me and my pal Angie was having dinner with John and Annie Glenn!

At the dinner/reception prior to the event we were hanging out and saw Mr. And Mrs. Glenn looking for a seat and we offered them space at our table.
We chatted away with them and had a lovely time!!!
We found out John Glenn has an iPhone and encouraged Annie to get one so that they could send each other love texts and silly videos. We talked about life and technology and TED.com.
We talked about space - because you would ask too!
You would be so predictable just like me if you sat next to an astronaut.

He said it was magic and he would go back in the morning if he could.
I felt for a moment like I was experiencing something so damn cool.

Like I understood why Aurora just went gaga over Jack Nicholson in "Terms of Endearment." -the man was IN SPACE!

This is like mind blowing and wicked cool.

He was so sparkly in the eyes and Annie was like a wee doll I wanted to cuddle.
Smart and cool and I am so fortunate to have met them.

I also crushed heavily on Matt Slaybaugh who opened the night with some poetry.
He said something that made me shiver and shake all over:

"Pick something that you love, and do it like a bad habit for ten years."

yes. yes. yes.

The end of the school year GIVEAWAY

Wanna give yr kiddos teacher or any teacher in yr life AN AWESOME gift for the end of the year?
I have a copy of 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching by the delightful Philip Done to give to you!
Actually the amazing author himself will mail you or that teacher a copy this weekend!

This book made me laugh and cry. I love this man. Really. I do. He and I have been emailing for a long time now and his book really grabs you if you have any sort of connection to the education world. It will grab you if yr a parent too. If you have a heart he will open it.
I have had a lot of negativity at times in my life surrounding the state of the education system in America and this books shakes that crud right off and makes me dreamy and idealistic again for what teaching is all about and how learning can be! It makes me miss my school kiddos so much.
His honest and funny book is uplifting without being all Chicken Soup for the soul annoying.
It is the real deal and I am glad that I have it in my library.
I am also glad that I have Philip as a contact now in the world of writing and education.
He's brill!
I think this book should be given at graduation for all teachers. For Realz!
AND he's super nice! He will mail a copy to one lucky reader or teacher!
Just leave a comment and tell me something about yr favorite teacher and I will draw a lucky winner Sat morning!

""I'm gonna treat you so good, you're never gonna let me go"

Tim Walker makes me happy. I saw his portfolio over on Icing and melted.
I don't even like horses and yet I am dreamy with this one.
And don't even get me started on some new short bangs in my future and a trip to MAC for some red lipstick. I love her look.

Also. Blaise found my cold coffee this morning and drank a bunch of it and now is running around the house yelling more more more. Lordy!

Wish me luck on creating a Disco and Pancake birthday party. I think I am set with props thanks to beautiful Rush Creek girls. But, I am hoping I can get Joe to wear tight pants and dance. My heart thumps.

title post- Pretty Woman 1990

"Old Spice. Phil says it's a timeless classic."

Blaise will be two in a few days and I went and took his yearly click today.
The same date as last year. (how sweet is he?)


I am taking a photograph each birthday with a prop so I will be able to watch them grow and to give them some cool photos in their adult life.
Finnian wears his dad's shirt in his yearly click and Blaise wears an amber necklace.
I wrote about birthday traditions and ideas last year here.
I did not make this idea up as I recall reading about a woman who dressed her baby girl in a vintage Pucci shift and took photos. She hung them on the staircase. It was gorgeous seeing her grow into the dress.
So you should do it too!
And don't fret if yr kid is a bit older and yr just starting.
Just think of collections.
Many of one thing is always cool.
No matter how many.

The Yearly Click:

1. Choose a prop that the child can grow into or outgrow for drama.
(like a dress or a shirt of an adult in child's life or a piece of jewelry or something fun like a clown nose even!)

2. Commit to keeping the prop in a safe place and taking a yearly shot on the child's birthday or birthday time frame.

3. Write the age and date on back of print! yes PRINT it out! My mother and grandmother told me to write the dates on everything and I laughed! Now I am screwed with several photos and it has only been 4.5 years with Finn! Seriously we do not remember all that we think we always will.
6 months old and 8 months old look the fricking same to me now!

4. Display them! (staircase/wall/nursery)

5. Have fun and guess what? Yr creating amazing memories for the future! Yr an archiver of lovely.

title post- My Girl 1991

" Yeah but bacon tastes good. Pork chops taste good."

I want to read this book.
It seems perfect in these sluggish economic times.
I feel kinda drawn to this writer.
She seemed kinda fierce.

"Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg until it is broken."
M.F.K. Fisher (1908-1992)

title post- Pulp Fiction 1994

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On that midnight street /Sweep me off my feet

NYC: Street Dancing 2, originally uploaded by Professor Bop.

I am so excited for my dancing class tonight.

It is my birthday and I woke up with little voices singing and buttered toast and coffee all over my bed and a feeling of it is good here. I am a queen right here on this bed. My little princes and my king they come to me and tradition is good. It is grounding and it is affirming if you let it.

I never finished my list properly. I will work on my 36 list this holiday weekend and tend to it this year and let it really grow something special.
I promise that to myself.

Isn't it maddening to know there is so much life to be lived out there and we only get so much time to do it? I want to dance in the streets this year and talk more deeply and listen way harder and frolic. Yeah, I wanna frickin frolic.

Kiss Kiss

The butter melts out of habit/the toast isn't even warm

So I booked us a ballroom dancing class for Tuesday night. I see us floating across parquet floors in chiffon and tails. I really see us busting through the doors buzzed on two large pints from the local and bundled up and laughing. It will be fun. It is something I have always wanted to do and perhaps if I reach very far down into my scary little place I will also make 2009 the year I buy an old acoustic guitar and learn to play. Just a little. Just like sewing. Just enough to make me dangerous.

I love this young girl. I love her tude. She has it right?





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I know a place that's safe and warm from the crowd

I caught this engagement photo on the divine beefy and love it!
I love the idea of a photo that is kinda a traditional thing being inverted and made the way the couple fancies.
I love the photographer Josh Goleman.

I am inspired in a warm and fuzzy way today- even though it is so fricking cold that I know I will wanna shout obscenities as I walk to the post office and preschool in 15 minutes.

Make it a productive day.
Tell someone you love them.
Jump on yr lover.

and the mama of the internets is pregnant! woot! Go give Dooce some lerv! rock on!
Happy news! :)

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A big thing or a small/The winner takes it all

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER:
THE LITTLE ALOUETTE WINNER IS:

Southern Wife! I used random.org!!!
Thank you! Please contact me Southern Wife
at amytsharp(at) gmail (dot) com
thank you to everyone who left a comment and said lovely things about our shop! I am visiting all of yr blogs this weekend! xo

Such a gorgeous parcel came today!
I am quite in love with this blog and I was lucky to win something myself back a bit...I won a gorgeous print that I got to pick out from her shop! I picked this lovely one:



Thank you so much! xoxo

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It's such a gorgeous sight

Way back when Etsy was just a new cool thing I discovered and not part of my daily life I stumbled across the loveliest art from this girl called Ashley G. I think my first purchase from Etsy was the print above for Finnian's room. I can recall how I would sit and stare at the screen at this amazing artists work. I loved how her work made me feel. I am starting a new weekly series about inspiration here on Doobleh-vay and I wanted to kick it off with Ashley! I not only bought art from this talented woman, but I got the inspiration to start my own shop!

I love reading her profile on Etsy. She says things like:
I strongly believe in what you're happiest doing at five is what you will be happiest doing your entire life. (come on! I love this woman- she is brill!)

I have followed her path from Etsy newbie to a major force in the design world. And as busy as you know this gorgeous gal is, she took the time to talk with me a bit. I wanted to share her words with you here and some images of her fabulous work. Please visit her shop and get some art for yr home. I can highly recommend the superhero print for wee ones. Finn looks at his everyday!

Can you just tell me a few things that inspire you and how you work- yr process?
Nature is for sure the most inspiring thing, followed by an inspiring space. My work process varies but it's usually me with my sketchbook, some pens and pencils and just sketching and sketching until something starts working out and feeling right.

I want to know some things about what is it really like to be a working artist...Do you ever just want to stop the madness and run away from it all or will you never again work for someone else?

I would really really like to stick to my guns and not work for anyone again unless it is a partnership, collaboration, or short-term project. The way the economy is, with the vast fluctuations we've all seen in the last year, I feel really fortunate to have a job that I like right now, a job that pays the bills. So, until the collective atmosphere of the US and beyond improves I think that's all I'm focusing on.

What are the three top things you wish you would have known before you started this journey?

1) People aren't as picky as I am (but I don't think I can change that for better or worse)
2) No matter what printer or printing process you choose it is going to be disastrous, heart-wrenching and frustrating at least once every couple of months.
3) The online community I've been lucky enough to become a part of is comprised of some awesome people! And in person, the ones I've met are just as great.

How is it working with yr lover?

The best and the worst thing ever : )


Have you made mistakes?

I'm sure tons, but I don't know of any MAJOR mistakes. It is certainly all one big learning process, though.


Have you made friends through this process?

I am really happy to say that I have. Other folks who sell on Etsy I like to call my "coworkers," and I've had a chance to get to know quite a few over the past two years. They really are generous, gracious, creative people. Now that I am in Portland I have met more in person and friends of their friends. I feel like I might not know anyone in this new city if it weren't for meeting fellow artists.

What are yr five top blogs/shops/etc on web?

Ohhh that's so tough. Umm daily I KNOW I look at Flickr, Design Sponge, D-Listed. I LOVE SkinStore.com (AWESOME customer service and free shipping), and I love to to browse through Etsy and Craigslist for vintage goodies if I can't get to a thrift store.

Who would you love to meet online?

Merlin Mann!


Where do you see yrself in two years?

Illustration, maybe product design, children's books and overall keeping on keeping on.

What did you think you would have been doing 7 years ago? Did you feel this?

7 years ago I was already sure I NEEDED to be self employed and create things for a living (but I've known those two for as long as I can remember). I wanted to create toys, children's books, illustrations, crafts, jewelry, sculpture. And I still want to do all of those things. Just some aren't as realistic as others. : )

Mayo or mustard?

Mustard! :)

Thank you to the amazing Ashley for kicking off the inspiration series that will begin this Friday.
It is called (It's Friday/I'm in Love!) and I have some amazing folks lined up for you! I am hoping for the Friday series to be a place to come and recharge yr batteries and find a bit of bliss. A little dip in the inspiration pool really? Kiss Kiss.

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It's close To Midnight and Something Evil's Lurking in The Dark

I found these awesome vintage photos via Sweetney.
Are they wicked cool or what?
Happy Halloween!

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Don't You Know Now Is The Perfect Time

Today has been really productive. I am thinking about holiday gifts and the lack of coin in my handbag. I already signed in blood the handmade oath, but I jut still worry about time and all even though I started way back here. I am making keys and also these and have lots of ideas- I just hope I have the time.

Then I found this sweet sweet shop.
I talked about the smart card PDF first over at Kirtsy.
Then I discovered the calendar PDF!
OMG! What a smart cool perfect gift!

I am smitten with this shop! And she is a doll! Check it out!

So today I sat with my new printer and made cool calendars!
I mean how cool is this? I got this amazing printer to review!
I love you One to One network!
I almost frenched the UPS guy.
I was so excited to try out this top of the line printer.

It was simple to set up and I have to say my calendars look amazing. I love the photos of the boys that I printed out today too. Fast fast fast photo printing!
The coolest thing for me is that my husband and I can share one printer thanks to the built-in wireless and wired networking.
I have owned a bunch of printers and this one seems to be the best with photo printing. I have never used Epson inks before, but there are way more than a black and a color cartridge to install. It is like a spectrum of small ink cartridges designed to give the truest colors. I loved it. I might have to say I am an Epson gal now for photo printing.


I love days when I get stuff done
don't you
happy Sunday
don't you get the Sunday blues

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No one told you when to run/you missed the starting gun

I just reread A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave eggers and fell all over the floor again.Sometimes when you read a book or watch a movie does one sentence or moment stick in yr mind and flap like a flag? And bc I must be tuned into the world and have my pinkie on the pulse of the cool I see that Dave's awesome non profit Valencia store is selling these awesome pirate posters!

I loved the book, I think Eggers is a genius and really liked reading it again...but all I can think of all weekend is one of the sentences that got me...Beth and I take turns driving him to and fro, down the hill and up again and otherwise we lose weeks like buttons, like pencils.

Lose weeks like buttons, like pencils.
Oh I feel that. I feel that so much. This feeling never happened when I worked full time and ran round like a chicken with my head cut off. Shawn talked about how stay at home moms probably have more time to think. Even though I am working some from home, I do think I am thinking more. However, I am not always thinking those gorgeous thoughts that others are. I am reading how perfect the Autumn is all over the web and how crisp Fall days are orgamss and like some sort of methadone for summer. I am a bit cross that fall is here really as I think too much about another winter of owning two homes, not having a car, and how I never lost weight while it was warm and walking was an option.

Losing days and weeks nowadays almost feeds my frenzy.
I have so much to do.
How can I have just realized I have all of this to do?
To do for my life?
How did leaving my career bounce me to a place where time is like this?
I have not finished my novel (so typical) and all of the sudden I made a small company and just this week it seems like I am thinking about the future. I am thinking about how no matter how grumpy I may seem I am aware that life is here right now and you had better take a bite.

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And show you all the beauty you possess

Thanks for sharing new cool sites with me!
It is kinda like sharing yr favorite little shop or treat and I appreciate it. I hit the jackpot!
Look out Kirtsy- some cool stuff is coming:

The lovely Patois sent me this and this.
The darling ZakkaLife sent me this.
The adorable KellyO sent me this.
The sweet Redheadedlefty sent me this.
The awesome Mary sent me this and this
The divine Susana sent me this.
The cool Kim sent me this.
The amazing Kate sent me this and this.
The charming I love Upstate sent me this and this and this.
and these super chic ladies Mary and Diane and Rachel came by too!
And I think you should check out this and this today!

and I love you all to bits
I hope we all find a little inspiration today
feel free to leave more cool spots anytime! xo
kiss kiss

The photo is from the super talented swooning over Elle Moss.

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Fill yr mind up with all it can know

As promised, Jos and I are going to award a little prize to one of the lists submitted last week…Not without first saying that this wasn’t so much a contest. Every single list that we had the pleasure of reading deserves a prize as they were all creative, inspiring, interesting, unique… Every. Single. One.
But we both immediately connected with #33 on Alexis’ list, as we too are striving to “Embrace our inner hippie.” Brilliant…
So to help Alexis with her goal of hippie liberation, we’re sending her a copy of Tom Hodgkinson’s, The Freedom Manifesto + a copy of Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food to assist with #12 (“Don’t eat fake food”) We’re nothing if not helpful, no?

In the coming days and weeks, Jos and I will share progress on our lists and we hope you guys will all do the same. It’ll be like this big collective force of women committed to accomplishing meaningful little things with they’re very own virtual cheering section rooting them on.

Check out Isabel's list over at Alpha Mom!

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I dont know when I noticed life was life at my expense

I am in love with a new magazine. I have spent the week reading it each night in the bathtub until it is crinkly crisp and brittle.

The Sun is ad free and so full of rich stories and poetry and essays and OMG I just love it.
The best part for me is the readers write section where they ask readers to write in on topics they announce. Kinda like a call for experts on a theme without boundaries.
This month was "Finding Out" and the shorts ranged from homosexuality to infidelity to joy to the crappy moment where you lose yr invincible skin.
Amazing. Frank. Raw. Perfect.
I think you might like it.
I love it so much I wanna marry it
or at least be inappropriate with it in the bathtub.

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Fill yr mind up with all it can know

Friday is here and Simple Lovely and I have had so much fun with the lists! I hope I have everyone on here- I checked technorati and my comments for lists. If I am missing anyone please email me and I will add yr link promptly! If you want to send one in before the end of the weekend too you can! I am waiting still from some of my pretties who said they might- so come on if ya want! xo


These fabulous lists need to be checked out today:

Blond and Blithe
Radicool Life
Mary Loves
Shimmy Shake
Sugar City Journal
Hey Shannon Rae
Saviabella
The Other Tiffany

I loved yr lists. I loved this little project.
Now everyone please print out those lists and hang them where you can see them each day!
Thanks so much!
Kiss Kiss.

****OH MY LOVE MARY!
How could I forget you? I thought I had you on there! xo

The lovely Joslyn and Amy have created simple, inspiring, and totally doable birthday lists -- of a different sort. And I'm playing along. Here's my list of 36 things to do before I turn 37:

1. Hang framed family photos up in our hallway, gallery style.2. Go to Nantucket. 3. Don't skimp on sleep.4. Use that gift certificate we've been hanging onto for dinner in York Harbor, Maine.5. Gather up anything that I don't absolutely love in our house and in my closet and give it to Goodwill.6. Uncover the fireplace behind the wall in our living room.7. Visit Alana and Min (and my Godson!) in New York City.8. ...and, on the way down, stop in Danbury, Connecticut to visit family.9. Finally create a little desk space for myself.10. Take a photography class.11. Stop worrying.12. See a movie at our little local theater.13. Invite the new neighbors over for cocktails.14. Open an Etsy shop. A tiny one.15. Try knitting again.16. Go to Ikea at least twice: once this fall, and again in the spring. (This may seem like an odd goal. But it's over an hour each way. And sitting in the car and I do not get along.)17. Subscribe to domino magazine (instead of buying it every month).18. Learn how to turn on the DVD player. By myself. Without asking Rob for help.19. Go apple picking.20. Slow down when writing anything by hand; no more messy scrawl. (Where did my nice handwriting go, anyway?)21. Organize our digital photos.22. Keep a detailed calendar. No more ditzing out about birthdays.23. Accept that doing it myself doesn't look as good (or, last as long) and treat myself to a pedicure. 24. Cut down my Splenda use. Switch to a more natural alternative. 25. Stop procrastinating.26. Buy some exotic, coarse sea salt and figure out how to use it in our cooking.27. Get all of the fabulous prints I've collected framed and up on our walls.28. Read a book (fiction or non) that leaves me buzzing with inspiration and happiness.29. Scan old magazine clippings onto my computer.30. Stick to our budget at Christmas.31. On the first cold day of the season, enjoy a (sinful and amazing) Belgian hot chocolate at Pralines.32. Think twice before buying anything. 33. Get a library card -- and use it.34. Throw Rob a birthday party.35. Make this chocolate chip cake.36. ...This one's a secret. For now. :)


image from the delightful etsy shop boygirlparty

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Fill yr mind up with all it can know

Thursday List:
all week Joslyn and I are posting a selection of lists from our Friday adventure.
Thanks for yr gorgeous lists blissfully caffeinated, Rowena, and Jackie.

I do actually keep kind of an ill defined bucket list in my head that includes things like Go to Italy and Learn French and Write a Book. But this is not that list. This list is 10 things that I would like to do for myself before I turn 40. It’s a few years away, so I’ve got some time to work on these little tasks. (Blissfully caffeinated)

1. Do some sort of exercise other than housework on a regular basis.
2. Take guitar lessons with my girls.
3. Take a trip somewhere with my husband that isn’t work related or for someone’s wedding or birthday. That is just for us.
4. Take a creative writing workshop.
5. Cook some dishes from Julia Child.
6. Get a better camera. Take more pictures.
7. Find a pair of really comfortable flats and buy in at least two colors.
8. Improve my sewing skills. And then put those skills to use.
9. Get my teaching credential done so that I will some day have my own income again.
10. Turn off the TV more, turn the stereo on more, dance with my girls more.

27 before 28 ( jackie)

1. Start a gratitude journal
2. Plant an herb and veggie garden (I really like the Square Foot Gardening method)
3. Buy a dress pattern for the girls, learn to read it and sew up some dresses!
4. Take girls to the library at least once a week
5. Create more family rituals (Like our annual October Half Moon Bay pumpkin patch trip)
6. Learn to cook simple, fresher, healthier meals
7. Create a budget and stick with it!
8. Thrift more, pay full price less
9. Organize the girls' toys and donate at least half
10. Create meal plans every Sunday
11. Carve out more quality time with Hubby
12. Do weekly crafts with Natalie
13. Get back to reading at least one book a month
14. Recycle-I know it's awful that I don't already. My town does not have a recycling program, and I just haven't gotten around to finding out where I can recycle what.
15. Make bed every morning
16. Create a weekly cleaning schedule
17. Visit my Grandma and Aunt more, who live an hour and a half away
18. Learn to take better digital photos
19. Get over my fear of cooking for others and entertain friends more often
20. Watch an old movie at The State Theater
21. Pick fabric and sew curtains for the family room
22. Take the local community ed class on how to reupholster furniture, and bring my Nana's wing chair as the project.
23. Turn large blank wall in family room into an art wall- all with etsy finds of course
24. Go to more performances at the Gallo Center For The Arts
25. Write a weekly letter to my mom, re-capping all the little things that she misses by living so far away
26. Put little love notes in my Hubby's lunch (even though it will probably embarrass him)
27. Vote

A good thing I have a whole year to complete this!

38 things to do before 38 (November 19) (Rowena)

1. Paint a month of Flying Girls (this might actually be 30 things, but oh well.)10, 21, 35, 38
2. Schedule an artist's date with myself.
3. Get G completely off of diapers. 12
4. Get some business cards. 5, 10, 21, 33, 34, 35, 38
5. Put art supplies in the new cabinet.19,
6. Set up a nice workspace in my bedroom. 19
7. Sort kids clothes into keep/toss/store/giveaway
8. Get a long sweater/cardigan 32
9. Get some ballet slippers at target.32
10. Buy new paints and paintbrushes.
11. Write 25k words in my new novel (for nanowrimo).
12. Write an outline for my new novel (in October)
13. Figure out Flickr.
14. Go trick or treating with the kids. (I hear my neighborhood is Halloween central.)
15. Have a Halloween Party on October 18 (a Fanciful Twist. Awesome blog!)
16. Listen to music more often.
17. Take a walk to the beach with the kids.
18. Collect (steal) sand to make a mini sandbox for the kids to play with.
19. Make a holiday plan (including gift lists and plans for making stuff.)
20. Put ten paintings on my etsy shop.
21. Get a learner's permit.
22. Get a scanner/printer (either the one from storage, or a new one. Or get comfortable using my uncle's.)
23. Clean and purge bedside tables.
24. Start inspiration file/board.
25. Make play dough with the kids.
26. Make rice krispie treats.
27. Get some sculpey and make stuff.
28. Straighten out paypal account.
29. Make small and heartfelt public. (Not ready yet, so no link.)
30. Post one of my poems.
31. Host a giveaway32. Make a Flying Girl with my Alice in Wonderland.
33. Do some ATCs/ACEOs.
34. Connect w S.
35. Get a project going with PK. (PK, if you're out there, we've got to get off our rears.)
36. Start making Christmas presents.
37. Write up a business plan.
38. Post this list.

pic from flickr stream er3465

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